Clutch



Sept. 30, 1924. 1,510,123

E. E. WEMP CLUTCH Filed Aug. 15, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEMfOR.

27726.92 luc rrw A TTORNEY.

Sept. 30 1924.

E. E. WEMP INVENTOR. V 157/2655 flit 077,47

A TTORNE Y.

. is afforded by a single spring coiled about 7 Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES ERNEST E. WEMP, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CLUTCH.

Application filed August is, 1921. Serial no. 492,276.

To allwhom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ERNEST E. WEMP a citizen of the United States, residin at etroit, in the county of Wayne and tate of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clutches and has for its object a clutch acting on the direct sprin pressure plan and which is cheap to manu acture and eflicient in action. In my prior application #4:? 0,851 I have described a clutch that has a great many features embodied in the present clutch construction but which operates upon the principle of indirect spring pressure. The spring thrust the driven shaft and the pressure of this thrust is multiplied when transmitted to the construction and arrangement of disks but employs a direct spring pressure afforded by a number of springs in place of an indirect spring pressure afforded by a single thrusting spring. A thrust-transmitting disk almost identical with that shown in my previous application is used but instead of being used as a spring thrust transmitter it is used to transmit the thrust ofthe clutch collar for the urpose of releasin the clutch pressure. n my prior app ication I have claimed the novel features of this thrust disk so as to cover its use either as a spring thrust transmitter or to afford releasing levera e.

In t e present application the claims are directed to a novel arran ement and construction which affords a c utch that has all the advantages of a direct spring pressure parts disengaged.

F igl 2 is a cross section throu h the driven shaft looking forward at the c utch.

a. designates the drivin shaft of an automobile, to which is bolte the fly wheel I) by the studs 0. To this-fly wheel is secured the fixed ring (2 by the long studs e. It will be seen that these lon studs 0 are provided with suitable shoul ders f and 9' against which the fly wheel and the fixed disk 01 respectively engage to provide the proper spacing when the parts are bolted together. Between this fixed ring and the fly wheel'engage the driving disks k and the flexible driven disks 6 provided with clutch facings j. The drivin disks receive the driving effort from the driving studs 6 on which they are slidably mounted. The flexible driven disks 2' are bolted to the sleeve is splined at m upon the driven shaft 1v. The advantages and the specific construction of the drivin and driven disks are carefully described an claimed in my prior application. Hence I will not enter into details here in connection with this. Furthermore, the construction which this application claims mi ht be used in connection with a different riving and driven disk lay-out.

The rear driving disk is riveted to a thrust ring 0 which is bored and countersunk to accommodate the heads of the studs 1). Either the rear driving disk olr the ring 0 can'be considered a thrust member such as specified in the claims. These studs ass through openings in the "channelled xed ring d. This fixed ring is apertured to receive the spring cups 9 which receive the helical springs '1' that press against the thrust rin 0. A pressure releasing disk 8 is provide which is almost an exact counterpart of the pressure disk described in my prior application except the disk is simply inverted. This pressure-releasing disk comprises a stamped and tempered concavo-convex disk having a cross section such as shown in Fig. 1 and a plan view such as shown in Fig. 2. The disk is" slotted with large radial T s ots t formin a plurality of levers u. These levers fu crum at e, which is the narrow point in the levers that connects with the outer ring portion of the disk. This disk 15 in eifect slmply an economical stamping that forms an annulus to properly space, position and fulcrum the levers which are also punched and formed out of the disk blank. These levers u receive the load at the points where they engagle the nuts 'w on the ends of the studs p. the points where the engage the clutchshiftmg collar :22. e are consequently levers of the second or er, the load being between the power and'the fulcrum.

hey receive the power at.

' Ling member, a

driven disks secured to the driving member .and the t It will be noted that the rear drivin disk, the fixed ring (1, the clutch springs and their cups, the release disk, and the releasing studs all form a sub-assembly or unit, said releasin studs serving to bolt the parts together.

pring cups 9 protrude rearwardly through the slots 25 in the releasing disk. This aflords considerable length for the clutch s rings r which are here shown as six in num r. There are various advantages that flow from the use of a plurality of direct pressure springs. As most of these advantages are common to all clutches of this tygs it is unnecessary to enumerate them.

I hat I claim is:

1. In a clutch the combination of a driving member, a driven member, driving and driven disks connected with the driving member and the driven member respectively,

a fixed ring bolted to and spaced in open relation from the driving member, a thrusting ring, a plurality of coiled springs thrusting toward the driving member to pack the discs and located between the fixed ring and the thrusting ring, and a. plurality of levers fulcrumed on the back of the fixed ring and connected with the thrusting ring for releasing the pressure on the disks when desired, by ulling the thrusting ring away from the di'iving member.

2. In a clutch the combination of a drivdriven member, driving and and driven memberrespectively, an open fixed rin bolt d to the driving member in a determined s aced relation, a thrusting member for pa ing the disks, a plurality of springs e ging between the fixed member rusting -member and thrusting toward the driving member to pack the discs, and a plurality of levers fulcrumed on the. back of the fixed ring and connected with the thrusting member for releasing the pressure on the disks when desired by pull ing the thrusting member away from the drlving member. I

3. In a clutch, the combination of a driving member, a driven member, a plurality of driving and driven disks secured to the drivmg member and the driven member respectively, a fixed ring connected to but spaced from the driving member a thrustin member for; acking the dis a plura ity of sprmgs tween the fixed ring and the t rustin member for packing the disks, and an annu arly corrugated and radially slotted dlsk engaging the rearof the fixed ring for providln a plurality of levers fulcruming on the ed ring and connected with the thrust member or releasing the packing 4. In a clutch, the combination of a driving member, a driven member, a plurality of driving and driven disks connected with the driving member and the driven member re spectively, a fixed ring connected with the driving member but spaced therefrom, a thrusting member for packing the disks, a plurality of coiled springs engaging be tween thefixed member and the thrusting member, a plurality of releasing studs connected with the thrust member and passing throu h the fixed member, and a flexible disk provi ed with an annular corrugation and radial slots and forming a plurality of levers of the second order in which the corrugated annular portions fulcrum on the back of the fixed ring and the mid portions of the lovers engage with the releasing studs while the inner ends of the levers are arranged to take the power in releasing.

5. In a clutch, the combination of a driving member, a driven member, a plurality of driving and driven disks secured to the driving member and driven member respectively, a plurality of driving studs, an open fixed ring connected to the driving member in spaced relation by the driving studs, a thrusting member, a plurality of helical springs engaging between the fixed ring and the thrusting member and thrusting toward the driving member to pack the discs, a plurality of releasing studs secured to the thrusting member and passing through the fixed ring, and a plurality of levers fulcrumed on the rear of the fixed ring and having intermediate portions engaging the releasing studs for transmitting the releasing effort to the thrust member.

6. In a clutch, the combination of a driving member, a driven member, a plurality of driving and driven disks connected with the driving member and driven member respectively, a fixed ring connected with the driving member but spaced therefrom, said member being provided with openings therethrough, spring cups fitted into said openings, helical springs engaging in said cups, a thrust member engaging said springs and serving to pack the disks, and a flexible radially-slotted and convexo-concaved disk engaging the rear of the fixed ring and providing a plurality of connected levers fulcruming on the rear of the fixed ring and connected with the thrust ring intermediate their ends for releasing the thrust ring whenreleasing effort is applied at the center of the disk, the said'spring cups protruding rearwardly through the radial slots between the lever portions.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si wture.

' ERNEST E. 

